Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-06
ON THE BORDER.

team in a covered wagon. That terri.
tory is not any too peaceful now. but in
- 3 YOU not only wanted trusty rifle
with YOU but YOU wanted the knack Of
dropping your man first. Travelling from
ranch to ranch as we did. with every
body knowing that We had money to
buy hoss with, our situation was one
requirin constant vigilance. There was
never 6 night that both of us slept at
once. and never a day that We were not
ON the watch for some plan to get the
better of us. In one trip of three months
| we had five different watch dogs pois-
uned. and finally gave up trying to keep
one. You might imagine that it would
have been worth while for some Of the
predatory hands roaming the country 10
make an open attack on us. but the fel-
lows reasoned differently. A couple Of
men armed with winchesters and re-
volvers, and determined to defend their
own ut any cost, are antagonists not to
be despisei Your western outlaw. with
very few exceptions. is Just as careful
about getting a bullet into his body as
any one else
One day in July. while we were on the
north fork Of the Canadian river. and
about twenty miles below Shawneetown.
one Of the horses in our team was bitten
by rattlesnake. l was driving. and
saw the snake as il lifted itself from the
grass and bit the horse twice on the leg.
1t was hot day. the horses well heated
up, and the poison took effect very soon.
We had no remedy for it. but We're COM
PEELED 10 stand by and see the animal suf
fer and die. 1t wasn't quite an hour
after he was struck before he was dead.
In buying horses we stipulated for deliv.
cry at certain points. and thus had no
spare ones with us. To make our team
whole one Of us must take the other horse
and ride off and make purchase l had
been over the route before. and knew
that the nearest ranch was twelve miles
up the river. 1t was now 4 'clock in the
afternoon. and We were within half a
mile of the stream and in a wild and
lonely district Of country. We had with
us In tin box in the wagon over 81, 900
in gold. and the misfortune TO our horse
naturally increased our anxieties. Nv
partner insisted that should be the one
to remain with the wagon. and he had 10
sooner moved away than l began TO make
things secure. The very first move was
10 take the tin box from the wagon and
bury it in the ground under the vehicle
and after that staked out the horse. saw
that every firearm was in good order and
beat around the camp TO drive away any
reptiles lurking about.
There was no use in expecting Patton.
my partner. back before O'Clock or
later. He would doubtless firi a suitable
horse at the first ranch. but the ranch
man might lie away. or there We're
dozen other reasons to call for DELAY. We
carried provisions with us. and at about 6
o'cluk l built fire and prepared my
supper. and was about to begin eating
when caught sight Of horse and rider
approaching camp from the northwest.
The ground was open for three or four
miles. and as l had a glass with me
made out, while the horse was vet a mile
and half away. that he bore a woman
on his hack. Had she been a squaw the
the sight would not have occasioned sur
prise. but the first look proved that she
was white and that her horse was jaded
and coming slowly. As held the glass
on her saw her turn and look back. as
one pursued. and long before she reached
me had become greatly interested in
her case. She rode straight for the
wagon. and when she finally came up her
horse was very much blown. and the
woman's face seemed 10 betray both hope
and fear by turns. She was an average
looking female. about 40 years old, and
as she drew rein beside ME we surveyed
each other for half a minute before
either spoke. During that interval
caught an expression on her face which
did not at all like. 1t was a sly, sinister
look. but it passed swiftly away, and was
replaced by one of anxiety. 1 was the
first TO speak, saying:
We'll. are you in trouble?"
'.In great trouble. SIR" she replied.
Il have been living with my brother on
a small ranch about fifteen miles distant.
Two hours ago a dozen drunken kicka-
poo Indians visited the place. wounded
NV brother and set fire to the house, and
would have assaulted me had l not fled
on this horse. They pursued me for
several miles. and 1-F'-
Here she broke down and began to cry
and sob. What could do but ask her
to dismount, give her my promise of pro-
lection. and say that when my partner
returned We would drive straight TO the
ranch and sacrifice our lives, if need be,
to rescue her brother and teach the In
dians a lesson? She did not come down
without considerable palaver. seeming to
be very sensitive about getting me into
trouble. and when she did take seat on
the blankets prepared for her. she con-
tinued TO cry and lament and would not
touch a mouthful of food.
1t had grown dark by the time l had
eaten my supper, and it was now time TO
look for Patton. l sought. as any man
would have done under the cfrcum-
stances. to cheer the woman up, and by
and by she gave over crying and seemed
a bit more hopeful. She explained that
she had removed to the territory from
ClarksvilA. Ark. three years before,
being a widow with one son. The son
had died within the year, and :he brother,
who was an old bachelor. and not in good
health. had come on to remain until the
place could be sold out. A kickapo1
buck had taken great fancy TO the
woman and wanted to marry her, and
her indignant refusal had called down
the raid made that day. Her story filled
h4g up IN ny rear, ana yet saw MN a.
plainly as before. He came on slowly
cautiously-al always little nearer. When
within three feet Of my heels the pistol
was raised to the back Of my head, and
said to myself:
$50 am to be shot. 1t is large bull
let. and it will go clear through my head.
I wonder why he didn't bite me? II l
was loose l would make fierce fight for
my life.
..Clug," It was the sound Of a pistol
hammer striking on the center of cart
ridge-a cartridge which had failed to
explode. In the same second was on
my feet. A human figure stood before
me. l gave NV heavy rifle a half sweep